Four of Hearts
by Jenn11
Summary: Colin goes missing. . .
1. Chapter 1

Title: Four of Hearts

Author: Jenn

Rating: K

CHAPTER 1

Stepping out of the elevator Jess was very surprised to see Colin standing in front of her.

"Colin? What are you doing here? I thought you were deep undercover. . ."

But instead of answering Colin was suddenly moving away from her. As he got farther away guns began to appear, all of them aimed at Colin.

A hand on her shoulder brought Jess out of her vision.

"Jess? You okay?" asked Nicole.

"I. . . yeah. Vision," she explained.

"But we don't have a case right now," Nicole noted, a bit confused.

"It was Colin. He was moving away from me, and the farther away he got the more guns appeared, pointing at him."

"You think he's in trouble?"

Before Jess could answer Pollock stepped out of his office and called to them.

A moment later they were in his office facing him.

"I've just gotten off the phone with Agent McNeal's supervisor, Special Agent Harland. McNeal has missed his last two check ins. They now consider him to be missing. Normally the DOJ would handle this themselves, but Harland owes me several favors." He paused and looked at Jess. "He now owes me one less favor. Do you know why that is Agent Mastriani?"

"Because I now owe you that favor."

"Very good, Agent. Now go find your boyfriend. Harland is expecting you. Dismissed."

Half an hour later they were shown into the office of Special Agent Jared Harland.

"What assignment was Agent McNeal working on?" Nicole began.

"He was working with the Russian mob. Specifically the Gorshov Family." He saw the curious looks on their faces, and continued. "The Russian mob makes a point of working with everyone. McNeal is posing as IRA."

"When did he disappear?"

"He missed a check in yesterday. Today another agent reported that McNeal and Alexander Barishnakov are both missing. Alex was the one McNeal first made contact with. We don't know if McNeal's cover is blown, and Barishnakov is guarding him; or if a rival gang may have taken them both. In that case McNeal's cover could still be intact."

They talked for several more minutes, then left. Their first stop was Colin's apartment.

Nicole raised an eyebrow when Jess let them in with a key. "You have a key to his place?"

"Yeah. There was never a chance to give it back before he went undercover. Nothing looks out of place," Jess noted, looking around.

"No obvious signs of a struggle," Nicole agreed. "So he probably wasn't taken from here. If another guy is missing, why wasn't he in your vision earlier?" Her fear was that it meant Barishnakov wasn't missing, but holding Colin captive.

"I have to be able to connect to someone to have a vision. I have a connection to Colin. I don't have one to Alexander. . .yet."

Seeing a paper by the phone, Nicole picked it up. It had the name Rachel, and a phone number, written in a woman's handwriting. "I have something," she said, pulling out her own cell.

"Cortez."

"Antonio. I have a phone number I need you to run for me," she told him, and read the number.

Jess moved closer and saw the name and handwriting.

"I'll call you back in a few minutes," he said, before hanging up.

Nicole looked back at her partner. "Jess, it doesn't mean anything. It might be a contact of his."

"Or it might be his new girlfriend," Jess said, forcing herself to admit that possibility.

"You still love him, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. I've tried dating other guys. I really have. But I always end up comparing them to Colin. . . "

"And they always end up the loser."

Jess nodded, and they continued searching the apartment.

Once again Colin was surrounded by guns aimed at him. But this time he wasn't alone. Another young man stood beside him. He was a little taller than Colin, with dark hair and eyes. On the man's shirt, just above his heart, were letters.

Рая

"Raya" called the man. He was ignoring the guns aimed at him and looking around, as if searching for someone. "Raya," he called again.

The sounds of Nicole's phone ringing pulled Jess from her vision.

"Scott."

"It's Antionio. I ran that number. It belongs to a Rachel Gorshov. Daughter of Vladimir Gorshov."

"A Russian mobster."

"A Russian mob boss. Very powerful. The DOJ has been after him for years. I have an address for you."

Before they left Jess wrote down the letters she'd seen on a piece of paper, so that she wouldn't forget them. She also described her latest vision to Nicole.

"We're dealing with the Russian mob. Maybe those letters are Russian," Nicole suggested.

"That's what I was thinking," agreed Jess.

Half an hour later Nicole and Jess knocked on the apartment door.

Jealousy stabbed through Jess as she saw the beautiful young woman who opened the door. She had long dark brown hair, hazel eyes and flawless skin.

"Rachel Gorshov?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Agent Nicole Scott. FBI. My partner Jess Mastriani."

"If you're looking for my father, he isn't here."

Jess held out a picture of Colin. "We aren't looking for your father. We're looking for him."

Rachel's eyes went wide. "Declan?"

"Yes. Declan."

"Please, come in. Has something happened to Declan?" Rachel asked, obviously worried.

Seeing the other woman's concern for Colin caused Jess to feel another stab of jealousy. "Have you seen him recently?" she asked as they sat down.

"No. Father sent him on a . . . business trip with Alex."

"Alex, is he a little taller than Col. . .Declan? Dark hair, brown eyes." Jess asked, describing the man she'd seen in her vision.

"Yes, that's Alex."

She pulled out the paper she'd written the letters on. "Do these letters mean anything to you? Are they Russian?"

"Yes. That's my name in Russian. Actually, they are the diminutive form of my name. My nickname. Only those close to me call me that."

"Does Alex call you Raya?" Jess asked since he'd had the name on his shirt, even though she really wanted to ask if Colin used that nickname.

"Yes. Did something happen to Alex and Declan? My father said he didn't know how long they would be gone, only that I shouldn't worry."

"But you are worried," Nicole said, making a statement, rather than a question.

"Yes. About both of them."

"Both of them?" Jess asked, unable to hide her concern.

The pieces fell together for Rachel, and she met Jess' eyes. "You come looking for Declan, worried about him. And he often talked to me about the woman he was with before he joined us. A woman he still loved. . . still missed. That woman he loved, and had to leave to join us, it was you, wasn't it?"

Seeing that Jess was about to deny it, she continued. "I see my answer in your eyes. You worry that Declan forgot you. That he and I are together. I do care about him, and think he cares about me. But not the way you fear. I've always wanted a brother. With Declan I found one. He helped Alex and I."

"You and Alex?" Nicole asked.

"Yes. We love each other, but my father would not approve. But father would be happy if I was with Declan. It would strengthen his ties to the IRA. Declan and I would tell my father that we were spending time together, but I would really be with Alex, not Declan."

As Jess processed this new information, Nicole asked another question. "What would your father do if he found out what you three had been doing?"

Her eyes went wide, with fear and realization. "He would be very angry. He loves me, and would never hurt me. . . but, Declan and Alex. . . He would think they had. . . turned on him. . . betrayed him."

"Do you know where he would hold them? Where he might be keeping them?"

"No. He would never tell me about the details of his business."

Jess actually felt relieved. The vision now made sense. Rachel's name over Alex's heart. He and Colin both with guns pointed at them. They were on the right track now, she felt sure of it. Colin's cover hadn't been blown, and they knew who had him.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I updated this story. . . Not sure if the formatting will come through, but during Pollock's conversation with Gorshov they are both supposed to be speaking in Russian. . (of course I had to write it in English ;-)

CHAPTER 2

"Rachel, would you come to our office with us, and fill out a missing person's report on Alex?"

"Yes. Of course."

The ride was a silent one, with each of them lost in their own thoughts. As she looked out the passenger side window Jess had another vision.

Colin appeared. But this time he had "Рая" on his shirt. "Truth, American, Justice," he said. As Nicole parked the car, Jess came out of her vision. It had almost sounded like 'Truth, Justice and the American Way'. But the fact that he'd said them out of order had to mean something, she mused.

Once they arrived Jess took Rachel to her desk, to do the report on Alex, and Nicole went to report in with Pollock.

"Declan isn't really IRA is he?" Rachel asked. "And FBI Agent and an IRA man together? It doesn't make sense. And you started to call him by another name earlier. . . ."Col" something."

'Truth, American, Justice'. The words echoed in her mind, and she again saw the image of Rachel's name on Colin's shirt. Was Colin trying to say that she should tell Rachel the truth? That he was American, not IRA and in the Justice Department. At the moment it was the only thing that made sense. And Rachel had said she considered Colin a brother. . . "His name is Colin McNeal. He works with the Justice Department. He's working undercover. Trying to get information on your father."

Rachel's eyes lit. Here was the chance she'd been hoping for, but never dreamed she'd get. "If we find him and Alex. . . If Alex and I tell you what we know about my father, could we go into witness protection. . . together?"

Jess was shocked. "You'd testify against your father?"

"And I hate what my father does for a living. We left Russia when I was very young. My mother told me we would make a new start in America. We'd get away from that life. But it didn't happen. A bullet meant for my father killed her. I do not want to be the next one that happens to. I need to be with Alex, and my father will never allow that. Yes, if you can make sure Alex and I will be together, we can help you bring down my father. And besides, I told you, Decl. . .Colin is a brother to me. I don't want him hurt for trying to help me."

"Noble sentiments. And protection for you and Alex can be arranged," Pollock said from where he'd been standing nearby. Jess and Rachel had been so caught up in the conversation, they hadn't noticed him.

Nicole was beside Pollock, and Antonio joined them. "Cortez, you and Scott go bring in Mr. Gorshov. I'll speak to him in my office. Mastriani, get Miss Gorshov somewhere her father won't see her when he arrives.

Almost an hour later Antonio and Nicole escorted Vladimir Gorshov into Pollock's office.

Hello. Please, have a seat. Pollock greeted in perfect Russian.

Gorshov raised an eyebrow, and sat down. Thank you. 

Declan Mulroney is missing. According to the rumors, you are responsible. 

A man in your position should know better than to listen to rumors. 

A man in my position knows which rumors to listen to. Pollock replied, giving a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

And if I was somehow responsible? Why would you care about this man? 

I care about this city and it's people. I do not want you and the IRA having a war here that will kill innocent citizens. 

Ah. I see. 

If you were to turn this man in, I would owe you a favor. If you or one of your men were ever arrested, I would feel obligated to drop the charges and let you go. . . to repay the debt. Even as he spoke, a plan formed in Pollock's mind.

I know you talk with Ivan Petrovich. But unlike him I don't deal with the FBI. 

Pollock gave another non-smile. You aren't dealing with the FBI. You're dealing with me. 

Something in that smile that wasn't a smile told Gorshov it would not be wise to make an enemy of this man. We'll see. After all, he reasoned, it wasn't as if Mulroney was one of his own men.

With that, Gorshov stood and left.

Pollock picked up his phone and dialed a number in Russia.

Two hours later Pollock's phone rang. "Pollock."

Have two of your Agents waiting in front of your building in 10 minutes. And don't forget that you owe me a debt. With that the line disconnected.

Ten minutes later Nicole and Pollock were standing outside the building. Jess and Antonio waited just inside the door. As much as she hated being ordered to wait inside, Jess understood why Pollock had ordered it. Gorshov could have men watching the drop off, and any emotional display on her part could ruin things. Two EMT's were waiting with Antonio and Jess, in case Colin had been hurt and needed medical attention.

A black van, with no plates, pulled up. A second later the side door opened and Colin was pushed out. He would have fallen to the sidewalk if Pollock and Nicole hadn't caught him. Once inside they led him to a nearby conference room and cut the ropes tied around his hands, and untied the gag. Jess contented herself with placing a light kiss on his lips before moving out of the EMT's way.

Colin forced himself to focus on the EMT's and answering their question, since the sooner they left, the sooner he could talk to Jess, and hold her in his arms again. Other than some scrapes and bruises, and needing water, food and sleep, they pronounced him fine. They let him some painkillers, but instructed him not to take them without some food.

As the EMT's were leaving another Agen showed Rachel into the room. "Raya?" Colin asked, very surprised to see her.

"Hello, De. . .Colin," she corrected herself. "I'm glad you're okay," she said, hugging him.

"We'll get Alex back for you," Colin told her as he returned the hug. "But what are you doing here?" he asked, pulling back.

"You're friends came looking for you."

"We found her phone number in your apartment," Nicole told him.

Colin looked at Jess. "How did you know I was in trouble? My missed check-in's or. . ."

He let it trail off, not wanting to mention Jess's visions in front of Rachel.

"Both," Jess answered. "Don't scare me like that again."

Nicole and Rachel shared a look. "Let's go find Colin some food, and something to drink," Nicole suggested, pulling Antonio out the door with them.

"Both of you report to my office. . . in, say, half an hour, after you've had something to eat," Pollock said before also leaving, and closing the door behind him.

Taking Jess's hand Colin pulled her closer. Within seconds she was sitting in his lap, with their arms around each other.

"Guess your vision was pretty bad?"

"You were moving farther and farther away from me, and a lot of guns were pointing at you. Then Pollock calls us in and tells us you're missing. . . Not one of my better mornings." She pulled back a little to look at him.

"Since you aren't mad at me, I guess Rachel told you about her and Alex?"

"And that you were helping them. . . speaking of Rachel, we found her number at your apartment. Even I know enough about under cover work to know you don't stay at your own place."

"I had a new apartment for Declan. But when Rachel and I were supposed to be together, I needed to disappear, so I went back to my own place. Enough about Rachel and the job, it's been way to long since I've been able to do this. . ." he said, leaning in and kissing her.

They broke apart several minutes later when Rachel knocked on the door. And few seconds later Nicole and Rachel walked in with a sandwich and drink for Colin.

A/N:

Paula79: THANKS! Glad you like it.

FBIAgentJessMastriani: Thank you! I'll try to update faster.

Trickster'sQuenofWar: Thanks! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Saturn567: Thanks! Happy to hear that!

WolfJade: I'll try to watch the editing more. . .thanks for the heads up. Glad you like the story. Hope you liked this chapter.

Mandy543: Thank you! I'll hurry with the next chapter.


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